The present invention relates to a device for dispensing of a product, such as a cosmetic or care product, for example. In particular, the device may be useful for the metered dispensing of a product, for example, for makeup, care, and/or cleaning of the skin, hair, fingernails, and/or toenails. Such metered dispensing may be especially desirable when using products for hair care or for hair regrowth, for example.
Existing devices for dispensing may comprise a retaining member delimiting a metering cavity configured to be filled, for example, by completely or partly inverting the device. The dispensing of the product may be by means of a pump that typically is actuated while the device is in the head-up position. The device may be, for example, equipped with a pump for dispensing the product contained in the metering cavity, with the dispensing being performed with the pump situated above the free surface of the liquid in the container containing the product that is to be dispensed.
EP 0 626 321 discloses an assembly equipped with a pump and a retention member comprising a bottom and a side wall. The retention member has an outside diameter that is smaller than the inside diameter of the neck of the container. The retention member also comprises, in one embodiment, flexible tabs that stretch out toward the neck of the container in a direction that makes an angle with the vertical. Spaces between the tabs allow the retention member to become filled with product to be dispensed.
Conventional metered dispensing devices may not permit adequate filling of the retention member, particularly when nearing the end of use of the contents of the device. In such cases, a substantial variation in the degree of filling of the retaining member may be observed. Such variation may be according to the way in which the container is moved from its totally or partly inverted position to its dispensing (i.e., upright) position.
Hence, it may be desirable to provide an assembly for the metered dispensing of a product that solves all or some of the disadvantages of the devices described above. In particular, it may be desirable to provide a device that allows better repeatability of the level of filling of the metering cavity and does so substantially until the last use of the device.
Another desirable aspect is a device in which the degree of filling of the metering cavity may be independent of the action used to fill the metering cavity. Preferably, such devices will be relatively simple and reliable to use and economical to produce.
It should be understood that the invention could be practiced without performing one or more of the preferred objects and/or advantages described above. Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.
As embodied and broadly described herein, one aspect of the invention includes a device for dispensing a product, the device comprising a container defining an opening. The container may be configured to contain a product. The device may further comprise a retaining element mounted at least partially in the opening and defining a cavity configured to contain an amount of the product for dispensing. A separating member may separate a first region of the container from a second region of the container. The first region may be configured so that the product resides therein when the device is in an upright position and the second region may be disposed adjacent the opening. The device may further comprise at least one first passage defined by the retaining element, the at least one first passage having a position that defines a maximum amount of product capable of being contained in the cavity. The device also may comprise at least one second passage defined by the retaining element, the at least one second passage being in flow communication with the second region of the container and configured to permit passage of at least some product from the second region into the cavity. The separating member may permit one-way flow of product from the first region to the second region when the device is at least partially inverted from its upright position.
At least one third passage also may be defined between the container and the separation member when the device is at least partially inverted. The third passage may permit the flow of product from the first region to the second region.
The separation member may slope downward in a direction toward the second passage.
The separation member may comprise an elastically deformable diaphragm and may define a peripheral edge that extends substantially to an interior surface portion of the container. The diaphragm may be made of a material chosen from thermoplastic elastomers and crosslinked elastomers. The diaphragm may also be made of a material chosen from silicones, natural lattices, synthetic latices, EPDMs, polyurethanes, blends of polypropylene and SIBS, blends of polypropylene and SEBS, blends of polypropylene and EPDM, very-low-density polyethylenes, blends based on polyester glycols, blends based on polyether glycols, and flexible polyvinyl chlorides.
The separation member may have a thickness that decreases toward the peripheral edge. Such a configuration may make it easier for the separation member to be fitted in the container and also may facilitate the opening and closing (i.e., forming) of the at least one third passage. Moreover, the separation member may be inclined in a downward direction toward the retaining element. For example, the separation member may form an angle ranging from approximately 60 degrees to approximately 90 degrees with a longitudinal axis of the device. This characteristic of the separation member may encourage all or some of the product located in the second region of the container to be conducted toward the metering cavity.
A portion of the separation member may be configured to contact another interior surface portion of the container when the device is in an upright position and may be configured to move away from the other interior surface portion when the device is at least partially inverted. The portion of the separation member may be configured to move away from the other interior surface portion in response to pressure of the product. The portion of the separation member that is configured to come into contact with the other interior surface portion of the container may comprise an annular portion radially separated from the peripheral edge of the separation member. The other interior surface portion may be a shoulder defined by the container. The shoulder may make it possible to maintain the separation member at a desired height in the container. It also may provide a certain amount of sealing between the separation member and the interior surface portion of the container without the need to use a separation member having a peripheral edge that presses with excessive friction against the interior surface portion in order to hold it in place. Such excessive friction may hinder the separation member from easily moving away from the inner surface of the container when the device is placed in the at least partly inverted position.
In an exemplary embodiment, the portion of the separation member configured to come into contact with the interior surface portion of the container may lie at a distance ranging from approximately 0.5 mm to approximately 3 mm away from the peripheral edge, for example. Such a configuration may allow for a substantial sealing, at least to product flow, of the first region from the second region when the device is in the upright position, regardless of the tolerances used during its manufacture.
According to an aspect, the retaining element and the separation member may be molded together as a single piece.
The retaining element may comprise a tubular member having a closed end defining a bottom of the cavity when the device is in an upright position and having an end opposite the closed end being mounted proximate an edge of the opening of the container. The end opposite the closed end may define an opening. A pump associated with a dip tube may be provided, with the dip tube extending to proximate the bottom of the cavity. The presence of the dip tube may make it possible to produce a relatively larger-volume metering cavity.
The container may comprise a neck portion and the retaining element may extend over at least part of its height within the neck portion. According to an aspect, the neck portion may comprise a free edge that defines the opening of the container. The device may further comprise a pump configured to be mounted in the neck portion. A band may be configured to mount the pump in the neck portion, for example, the band may be configured to engage with the neck portion by one of snap-fastening and screw-fastening. There may also be an actuation member for actuating the pump. The actuation member may comprise a push-button, for example.
The separation member may extend radially outward from the retaining element and may be substantially planar. The separation member may be a solid member, for example.
The at least one first passage and the at least one second passage may be disposed on opposite sides of the separation member.
The device may further comprise the product in the container. The product may be chosen from a cosmetic product and a care product. According to an aspect, the product may be for application to at least one of skin, hair, fingernails, and toenails.
In yet another aspect, the invention includes a dispensing head for dispensing product from a container. The dispensing head may comprise a tubular member defining a cavity configured to contain an amount of product to be dispensed. The dispensing head also may comprise a separation member extending radially from the tubular member and being configured to substantially separate a first region of the container from a second region of the container when the dispensing head is associated with the container and the container is in an upright position. The tubular member may define at least one first passage configured to permit flow of product therethrough and at least one second passage configured to permit flow of product therethrough. The at least one first passage and the at least one second passage may be disposed on opposite sides of the separation member.
The tubular member may comprise a closed end defining a bottom of the cavity when the dispensing head is associated with the container and the container is in an upright position. The tubular member may have an edge defining an opening configured to at least partially receive a dispensing mechanism. The dispensing head may further comprise the dispensing mechanism, which may comprise a pump, for example. The dispensing mechanism may further comprise a dip tube that extends to proximate an end of the tubular member opposite the opening. The end of the tubular member opposite the opening may be closed and define a bottom of the cavity when the dispensing head is associated with the container and the container is in an upright position.
The separation member may slope downward in a direction toward the tubular member, and may form an angle ranging from approximately 60 degrees to approximately 90 degrees with a longitudinal axis of the tubular member. The tubular member and the separation member may be molded together as a single piece, which may permit a relatively low-cost manufacture and facilitate the fitting of the structure into the container.
According to an aspect, the separation member may flex so as to permit product flow communication between the first region and the second region of the container when the dispensing head is associated with the container and the container is in an at least partially inverted position. At least the portion of the separation member may be configured to pivot with respect to the tubular member in response to sufficient pressure acting on the separation member.
The dispensing head may further comprise a band configured to engage with a neck portion of the container for mounting the dispensing head on the container. The band may be configured to engage the neck portion via one of snap-fastening and screw-fastening, for example.
An annular region of the separation member may be configured to contact an interior wall surface of the container when the dispensing head is associated with the container and the container is in an upright position. The annular region of the separation member may be radially separated from a peripheral edge of the separation member and may be configured to move out of contact with the interior wall surface of the container when the dispensing head is associated with the container and the container is in an at least partially inverted position.
According to an aspect, the dispensing head may also comprise a third passage defined at least partially by the separation member when the dispensing head is associated with the container and the container is in an at least partially inverted position, the third passage being configured to flow product from the first region to the second region.
Yet another aspect includes an assembly for dispensing a product comprising a container configured to contain a product to be dispensed and a dispensing head such as those described above, for example.
The assembly may further comprise a product in the container. The container may comprise a neck portion and the dispensing head may be mounted at least partially on the neck portion.
The at least one first passage may be in flow communication with the first region and the at least one second passage may be in flow communication with the second region.
Yet another aspect includes a method of dispensing a product comprising providing a dispensing device or assembly, such as those described above, for example, flowing product into the cavity, and dispensing the product from the cavity.
The dispensing of the product from the cavity may comprise dispensing substantially all of the product within the cavity. The flowing of the product into the cavity may comprise flowing the product into the cavity via the second passage. Also, the flowing of the product into the cavity may comprise flowing the product into the cavity via the first passage. Further still, the flowing of the product into the cavity may comprise flowing product from the second region of the container through the second passage.
According to an exemplary embodiment, the flowing of the product into the cavity comprises inverting the device.
According to an aspect, the method may further comprise forming a third passage between the first region and the second region. The method may further comprise flowing the product from the first region into the second region via the third passage.
In another exemplary embodiment, the method may further comprise flowing excess product out of the cavity via the first passage prior to dispensing the product from the cavity.
According to an exemplary embodiment, the first region of the container may be below the separation member and the second region of the container may be above the separation member when the container is in an upright position.
In an exemplary embodiment, the device and method for dispensing may be particularly well suited to the packaging and dispensing of a cosmetic or care product, particularly for the skin or for the hair, for example. The product may be a root nutrient or a scalp care product, for example.
As used herein, the expression xe2x80x9cone-way flow . . . when the device is at least partially inverted from its upright positionxe2x80x9d may be understood as meaning a flow in which the rate is greater when the device is at least partly inverted than when the device is returned to an upright position (e.g., when the device is upright the separating member could either prevent flow of product from the first region to the second region or this flow could be at a reduced rate as compared to when the device is at least partially inverted). For example, the cross-section of the at least one third passage may be greater when the device is at least partly inverted than it is when the device is in the upright position. Alternatively, there might not be a third passage when the device is upright, for example.
The separation member may be designed so as to be open under the pressure of the product when the device is inverted and to close in a practically sealed manner when the device is returned to the upright position. In other words, the separating member may partially define the at least one third passage and substantially prevent the return of the product which is flowed via the at least one third passage into the second region when the device is inverted. This may be regardless of the action involved in inverting the device and, in particular, of the speed at which the inverting movement is performed.
The term xe2x80x9cprovidingxe2x80x9d used herein is used broadly and may refer to, but is not limited to, making available for use, giving, supplying, obtaining, getting a hold of, acquiring, purchasing, selling, distributing, possessing, making ready for use, and/or placing in a position ready for use.